Early aviators, the Navy Reserve established its Flying Corps in 1916.

CACI proudly salutes the United States Navy Reserve on the 100th anniversary of its dedicated service to our naval fighting forces, March 3, 2015. Always "Ready Now. Anytime, Anywhere," the U.S. Navy Reserve is an indispensable element of America's defense, delivering strategic depth and operational capability to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Joint Forces.

While we celebrate the Reserve's century of service this year, its true beginnings can be traced to our nation's earliest days. Navy Reservists after the Revolutionary War were organized at the state and local level, contributing to the nation's fighting forces wherever and whenever needed. They played key roles in the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War, the latter helping establish the United States as a world power.

The advent of World War I in 1914 convinced Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and his Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt that a federal naval reserve force was necessary to gain the appropriate manpower to defend America's interests. Their lobbying led to the Reserve's creation via the Naval Appropriations Act of 1916, signed on March 3, 1915.

Photo courtesy http://navyreservecentennial.com

The Women's Reserve was created in 1942. 100,000 Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) served on active duty during World War II.

30 years later, as President, Roosevelt would reap the fruits of this effort when the U.S. Navy was able to rapidly expand to over three million people during World War II. Ten out of 11 sailors in the largest navy in world history were Reservists. Navy Secretary John L. Sullivan noted, "They had to learn their job the hard way, with a maximum amount of training in a minimum period of time." But learn they did.

CACI recognizes and proudly supports the important role played by all of America's Reservists. We are leaders in hiring veterans and Reservists and value the many Reservists among our employee population. We maintain a strong, long-term relationship with the Department of Defense-sponsored Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and numerous CACI offices and employees have received ESGR "Above and Beyond Awards" for their efforts in hiring, supporting, and retaining this very special breed of patriot.

We also count the Navy as our very first customer, having won our first competitive contract providing computer simulations of naval inventory operations in 1963. Today we support the U.S. Fleet with solutions that range from logistics and material readiness, enterprise IT, and networks, to cybersecurity, intelligence, and signals communications.

Photo courtesy U.S. Navy

A U.S. Navy reserve unit on "fast boat" training maneuvers in San Diego harbor.

CACI Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board Dr. J.P. (Jack) London, himself a retired Navy Captain and 12-year Reservist, said, "CACI heartily congratulates the United States Navy Reserve on a century of service to our great nation. As Chief of the Navy Reserve Vice Admiral Robin R. Braun so memorably states, Reservists 'strengthen the fabric' of the U.S. Navy. To this I will add that when we at CACI are privileged to also employ these dedicated men and women of exceptional character, they deliver the same strength and superior dedication for our company and our customers. We salute them!"